by Sergio Silva, M.D.

Created on: August 04, 2009   Last Updated: August 05, 2009

How To Know If You Need Prescription Medication for Depression

We've all experienced depression that comes and goes: mild, spontaneously low moods that get better all on their own and more moderate depressive episodes that are the result of traumatic life events (physical illness, loss of a job, the death of a loved one, divorce, etc.), but sometimes depressive symptoms like feeling tired and loss of appetite do not merely accompany physical illness, but represent physical illness itself. We call this clinical depression, to distinguish it from the doldrums that are otherwise commonly experienced, "the blues" that otherwise do not require formal treatment because they get better on their own.

If you are depressed and you think you might need to see a doctor about it, chances are already pretty good that you may be clinically depressed, meaning that your mood problem is more than situational, or a response to everyday stress, but has become something physical. This article will help you sort through some preliminary questions to help you determine if what you may be suffering is due to (for lack of a better term) a "chemical imbalance."

Many people suffer unnecessarily-sometimes for years-with clinical depression and don't even know it. They may think that the way they feel is just part of life, or they may have been depressed for so long that they have actually grown insensitive to their symptoms and not even realize that, for example, their energy level is much lower than normal and their ability to enjoy life is seriously compromised. I've interviewed patients who were obviously depressed, individuals who were overtly suffering from major depression that could almost be diagnosed on sight, who nonetheless denied ever experiencing depression when asked! But if you know you are depressed and just aren't sure whether you have crossed the line into a medical condition, consider the following:

When in doubt, consult with a professional. In other words: see a doctor. See a doctor, see a doctor, see a doctor, because only a qualified physician can diagnose, and ultimately treat, major depression. If you already see a therapist or counselor or have access to a nurse, social worker or some other type of mental health professional, you may want to start there.

Symptom severity. How severe are your symptoms? This is the most important consideration, because regardless of the cause of your condition-whether purely physical versus largely

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